Frame and connecting parts for tetrabedral kites



Dec. 5, 1933. FISHEL 1,937,880

FRAME AND CONNECTING PARTS FOR TETRAHEDRAL KITES Filed Aug. 11. 1932 INVENTOR Zea-115% 6'! W6 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1933 PATENT QFFICE FRAME AND conmco'rma Pawns FOR rmnsnanmn KITE se Leo J. Fishel, New York, N. Y. Application August 11,; 1932.. Serial No. 62$,3JSL

" Claims;

This invention relates to aerial vehicies, the in ventionbeing more: particularly" related to tetra-- hedral? kites; 7

It is well known in the art toproduce kite 8 structures in: the-term of a skeletonof a tetrahe dron: It is also known to produce a tetrahedral kite structure which is multicellu'lar in character: that isto say, which is composed of a mim ber ot cells, each of" which is in the form or a wtetraherhai frame. The various tetrahedral frames maltingup-thestructure may he connect ed at adjacent corners in such manner that the composite structure will itself have the form or outlineof a tetrahedron.

My invention has for its object the provision of novel frame parts and corner connectors whereby such tetrahedral kite structures: maywith ease be quickly and accurately assembled or disassembled, by those interested inthe sport of flying kitesand particularly by children. Another object isthe provision of frame" parts and corner connecters which will be light in weight while possessing the qualities of great strength and rigidity.

Itis within the province" of my invention to fashion the frame parts and connectors so that they can he nested in compact arrangement for carriage; packaging, shipment and storage: and further to so fashion theseparts that it canbe apprehended at a glance just how they are to" be put together building up a kite structure. With the foregoing" and other ohjects in view,

the invention consists the construction of parts so shaped and fashioned astocmnbine and cooperate with each other the performance of the functions and accomplishment of the results hereinaftercontemplated, and comprises in its evolven'ient a i system for assembling" the" siin pie and practical examples and forms illustrated in t-heaccompanying drawing; whereinsimilar rererence characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsand' in which: Figure I isa perspective View of awingcd tot-- rahedral component or cell which may be" joined to othersinnl'ar components in building up a com-- pound tetrahedral kite structure;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevational View, with parts broken away oiione of the six angie strips or webs which enter intothe -structure ot a tet-- rahedrali component; v

Figs 31 is a cross section taken on the line 3 -3 ofiFig. 2;: i

; 4' is an cross section taken on the liner M of Fig. 21;:

so a is a: sine! cnvatmnar view oil on one (or. arc-22);

jointdevice or connector for securing together two tetrahedral components at adjacent c'or=-- ners;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line fi -6 of 5 Fig. 7' isarr eievational view; showing two frag mentary tetrahedral components connected atadjacent corners; and.

Fig.8 is a perspective" View of an angular reinforci ng cover for use on those corners which are not connected to anadjacent tetrahedral component.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawing and firstto Fig. 1 it will be seen that the four triangular sides or faces of the tetrah'edral component a, are produced from an assembiiy of connected frame strips or elongated"- webs 2), similar in form and size.

The training ofthis-tetrahedral cell or component embodies six stripsor webs b arranged or assembled to produce the four triangular faces and four corners 'ot the tetrahedron.

Each of the parts b may he referred to as an angle strip or web; the same comprising two sides-1'0 audio in angular relation. Said sides 8% 10 and to" at the opposite ends thereof, are provided respectively with integral? copianar earsand 1 2'. These ears are triangular in form and correspond in size. The cars II and 12 may be referred to respectively as plain and merited ears", the last-named visibly" differing from the flrst named in that they are provided" with a plurality of circular openings 1 for a purpose that willpresently appear;

Itisimportant to note that the cars 11 and 9(1 1 2 are provided on the angle strips in alternat ingrelation, m that atone end ofthe angle stripta plain ear" II on the side 1'0" comes oppositea marked ear 1 2 on the side 10; whereas atthe other end of the angle strip a marked ear I2 on the 'sideio' comes opposite aplain ear 1-1 on the side 10. The sides of each oii the angle strips h are thus made at their opposite ends with alternating ears having visihle differences-3 although such earsare of the same form and size;

illustrated irr Fig; 1 at each of the tour corners e of the tetrahedral cell or component, three angle strips 6- converge so that the ears thereof may be united to form a rigid corner. Now, at 106 each'c'orner' the three angle stripsare assemhled insuch manner that'the plain ears I1 form outside parts, while themarkedears:1 2 forminsideparts. From what has beensaid it will be understood that each of the angle strips is io'rmed 110 with a plain ear and a marked ear at each end thereof. Therefore, at each corner 0 there are six ears to be brought together so that, at the apex of each triangular face, there will be an assembly of two ears comprising a plain or outside ear 11 and a marked or inside ear 12 which is coextensive with the outside ear and engages with the inside face thereof. The purpose of providing the marked ears 12 in alternating relation with the plain cars 11 is to enable a person who is engaged in assembling a tetrahedral cell or component, to see at a glance by reason of the visible differences between the ears, just how at each corner under assembly the three angle strips may be brought together in order accurately and without mistake to produce the tetrahedral cell. Thus, in assembling a corner, it is only necessary to bring the three angle strips together in such way that a marked ear'12 will always engage the inner face of a plain ear 11. Having thus assembled a corner, the ears at the opposite ends of the angle pieces will be in proper relation for similarly building up the remaining three corners.

The triangular ears 11 and 12 are each provided, centrally thereof, with an aperture 14, so that when acorner c is assembled a suitable fastening device such as a screw bolt 15 maybe passed through each pair of assembled ears 11 and 12. A bolt having thus been passed through the aligned apertures 14 of a pair of ears, a suitable nut 16 may be applied to the bolt for securing the parts together.

Two of the four triangular faces of the tetra- ,hedral cell or component may be covered with sewing thread or lacing 19 which is sewed through the fabric so as to secure the edges of the fabric to-the strips, as shown in Fig. 1. A single piece of fabric may be used to cover the two triangular faces, if the central portion of the fabric is passed over one of the angle strips as at 20 so that the free edges of the fabric can be sewed in place to the two strips forming the two remaining sides of the triangle.

As is well known in the art, a tetrahedral kite structure having the form or outline of a tetrahe-' dron may be composed of a number of similar winged frames or cells each itself having the form of a tetrahedron. Such a tetrahedral kite structure is sometimes referred to as a mu1tice1lular kite, the several similar winged tetrahedral frames or cells being joined at adjacent corners. Now, the angle strips and ears of the present invention have been designed, not only for the purpose of providing easy and ready assembly and to give great strength and rigidity, but also for the purpose of providing corner constructions which will properly combine and cooperate with novel corner connecters whereby firmly and rigidly to connect the tetrahedral cells or components at adjacent corners. My improved corner connecters are also devised for ready and easy application in building up a compound tetrahedral kite structure, as well as for ready and easy removal in disassembling the same.

In the accompanying drawing, 21 denotes my improved corner connecter by means of which to connect the adjacent corners of two tetrahedral cells a in the manner shown in Fig. '7. Each connecter 21 is an angle member, being composed of two angularly related sides 22 and 22. Each of the sides 22 and 22 includes two spaced triangular ears 23, the same being of the same size as the ears 11 and 12. Each of the cars 23 is provided, as shown in Fig. 5, with a key-hole shaped slot 24 adapted, when connecting the two adjacent corners, to receive therethrough the screw bolt 15 whereby to be secured in place by the nut 16. The larger portions of the slots 24 are of a size sufficient to admit the passage therethrough of the nuts 16, while the narrowed or restricted portions of said slots are smaller than said nuts. By this arrangement, in connecting two adjacent corners, it is only necessary to loosen the nuts and then apply the connecter 21 so that the larger portions of the slots 24 will pass over the nuts; whereupon the connecter is pushed up until it fits tightly over the angle, with the restricted portions of the slots 24 receiving therein the screw bolts. When this operation has been effected, the nuts are screwed tightly against the connecter, thereby securing the same firmly in place upon the adjacent corners. By means of connecters as 21, I may, for example, connect four tetrahedral cells or components a in such manner that the resulting compound structure has itself the form of a tetrahedron. To each free corner of the structure, which is not connected by a connector 21, I may apply an angle corner piece 25, the two angularly related sides 25', 25 of which are each provided with an aperture 26 for receiving the screw bolt 15 whereby to be screwed in place upon the plain ears 11. The sides 25', 25 of each corner piece 25-are, of course, of the same size as the ears l1 and 12. The corner pieces 25 make for symmetrical appearance, and also serve as means for holding the fabric in place.

It will be readily evident that the angle strips or webs I), being of angular form and of the same size, may be readily nested to make a compact bundle convenient to carry or for storage. The corner connecters may also be nested to make a compact bundle.

Owing to the provision of alternating plain and 120 marked ears, it is an easy task to properly assemble each tetrahedral cell, and then by the means of the corner connecters to unite the adjacent corners of the cells so as to produce the compound tetrahedral structure. Children, and even adults, 125 find it both interesting and amusing to assemble and disassemble kite structures composed of my improved frame strips and connecters. A multicellular kite produced from my angle frames and connecters possesses great strength and rigidity 13a and has great lifting power. v

While I have disclosed and described only one practical embodiment of my invention as reduced to practice, it will be recognized that the disclosure given is an example only, and is susceptible to more or less modification in the form, proportions and relative arrangement of the various parts, and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit 140 and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:--

1. In a tetrahedral kite frame, the combination of three frame strips which are to be connected to form a corner, each strip being formed for the 145 production of the corner with two thin opposing ears in angular relation, and means for detachably connecting one ear, of each strip in lapping relation with an ear of an adjacent strip.

2. In a tetrahedral kite frame, the combina- 160 tion of three frame strips which are to be connected to form a corner, each strip being formed for the production of the corner with two thin opposing ears in angular relation, said ears corresponding in size and having correspondinglypositioned apertures therein, and means for detachably connecting one ear of each strip in lapping relation with an ear of an adjacent strip, comprising engaging members adapted to be passed through the apertures of each two lapping ears.

3. In a tetrahedral kite frame of the sectional type, the combination of angle strips for outlining the triangular faces of the tetrahedron, means for connecting the angle strips at the corners of the tetrahedron, comprising a triangular ear formed on each end of each side of the angle strips, and means for detachably connecting at each corner an ear of each strip with an ear of an adjacent strip.

4. In a tetrahedral kite frame of the sectional type the combination of a plurality of angle strips for outlining the triangular faces of the tetrahedron, means for connecting the angle strips at the corners of the tetrahedron, comprising a triangular ear formed on each end of each of the several angle strips, the alternating end ears of the sides being marked for application, and means for detachably connecting at each corner an ear of each strip with a marked ear of an adjacent strip.

5. In a tetrahedral kite frame of the sectional type, the combination at a corner of the frame, of a plurality of angle strips converging at the corner, size-corresponding triangular ears at the corner ends of the angle strips formed on the respective sides thereof, with the car on one side of each strip overlapping an ear on one side of another strip, and means for detachably connecting each pair of overlapping ears.

6. In a tetrahedral kite frame of the sectional type, the combination at a corner of the frame, of a plurality of angle strips converging at the corner, size-corresponding triangular ears at the corner ends of the angle strips, formed on the respective sides thereof, and one being marked for identification, with the car on one side of each strip overlapping a marked ear on one side of another strip, and means for detachably connecting each ear with the marked ear overlapped thereby.

'7. In a tetrahedral frame, the combination with a corner composed of a plurality of angular strips the two sides of each of which are formed with size-corresponding ears, providing for lapping the ear of each side over the ear of the side of an adjacent strip, together with a corner connecter including angularly related ears corresponding in size with said side ears to embrace a pair of adjacent side ears, all of said ears being provided with apertures, and means adapted to pass through the apertures of each set of lapping ears to afford and maintain an engagement therewith for holding the strips and connecter against displacement in any direction.

8. As an article of manufacture, a frame strip for tetrahedral kites composed of thin integral angularly related sides of V-shape in cross section, triangular ears formed integral and coplaner with the sides, at opposite ends thereof, and forming at each end of the strip two oppositely disposed ears having the same angle of divergence as said angularly related sides.

9. As an article of manufacture, a frame strip for tetrahedral kites composed of thin integral angularly related sides of V-shape in cross section, triangular ears formed integral and coplaner with the sides, at opposite ends thereof, and forming at each end of the strip two oppositely disposed ears having the same angle of divergence as said angularly related sides, all of the ears corresponding in size, and one ear of each of the sides at the opposite ends of the strip being marked to visibly distinguish the same from the two remaining alternate cars.

10. As an article of manufacture, a thin frame strip for tetrahedral kites having at one end thereof two integrally connected triangular flat faced ears in angular divergence, a thin connecter part including two integrally connected triangular flat faced ears having substantially the same angular divergence to provide for nesting the two pairs of ears in direct flatwise contact and in parallel planes with respect to the length of the strip, and means for connecting together the ears which come in such flatwise contact.

LEO J. FISHEL. 

